Improvement in making boxes



PATENT OFFICE.

y HORACTHAYEMOF BROOKLYN, New YORK.

MAKING BoxEsL.

. i Spec-iiieation `forming part of Letters Patent No. 13.241, datedJune leibl.

`l'o M Vuilen/"11; t? may .concern/ .5 y

Beit vkriowintliat I, HoRAcE '.TRAYER, of

Brooklyn, ini-lie countyfof Kings and State of New York, have invented acertain new and Improved Construction of `Boxes rand `and I do herebydeclare thatthe following is .a full `and exactdescriptionthereof; andalso the mechani'snpby. means of which said improved boxes and eases aremade, reference being to, thel accompanying drawings, in which-ll y ,i 1y Figure lis a side elevation of the entire'ma` chine with thetreadleinits most elevated po` sition.- Fig.` on theleft is aview of thecor? respondinggend.' .lign` 3 Olathe-right isa viewf` of thecorresponding end. Fig'f@ isa side" elevation ofthe entire machinewiththetreadle depressedftf'o- ,its Alowest position. 4 Fig.,` 5` on theleft isA a `view of the "corresponding end.

Fig; i on the right (isa view ofthe correspending end. Fig 7 isasectional view,and `eithibitson a scale full' Sizerthe relations of Acerta-in y parts when the machine fis in condition for receivingorydischarging the material.- FigLS isjacorrespondingplan viewexhibiting' in rejd`outlineftlle.condition in which the 1naterial "for abox s-'held inplace and rotated in orderto be properly shaped by theaction of the-mechanism. Fi g. 9 Ais a crosssection show-` ing` a box orcaseinthecondition in )which itis dischargedr Fig; l0 vis a sectionalview, shoivingnthe` device by which Athe shaping mechanism iscontrolled.. The dark lines indicate the parts' in anopen conditioncorre-` spondingto Figs. .7.Vand-.8. The red outlines indicate thepositions when theshaping-wheels are brought into contact lWith` thematerial and commence to give shape to the box or case. Fig. l1 is avsectional view represent# ing the clutch and the central portion ofthe`pulley to which thepower is applied bya belt in anobviousmanner.,FigalvZ f la perspective (photographiQvi-ew of an entire machine,

involving thel same invention, but having dif# ferent)I meansl ofoperating some ofl the parts. Fig." 13`is as'ideview of a blacking-box-pletemade with a series of .indentations in a manner which I-prefer,andwith its cover; correspondingly made and properly applied. Fig. 14 is across-section Iof the same. l' Fig. 15 isa top view` half in plan andhalt in section. The

lowerhalf is a section on the lines sin Fig.`14.

Cases;

Similar letters and numbers for reference indicate like parts in`all'the'lgures. ,My invention is-capable ot' producing' boxes and casesof cheap material highly elastiavery strong, andadapted to a .grcatvariety of conimon uses, especially the manufacture of blacking-boxes;and to accomplish this more rapidly and cheaply than any before known tome, I

can make by its aid boxes and cases in forms zwhich are circular oroval, or square lwith 4rounded corners; `buteach forni requires a Adifferent form of some of the parts.

The" machine is employed togive. the final v shape and unity to the boxor case by prop#` erly compressing and joining the parts.

`In making boxes with covers I produce 4the i body at one operation andthecover atanother; 'adjusting the machine so as to adapt it I properlyto the article'to be made. The bottoms or ends maybe of wood,pasteboard, or

other hard and stili" substance;4 but thesidesshould be` of a Amaterialcapable of beingbent and worked invarious forms, and of main-` tainingthe condition inY which it is left. I

prefer common tinned iron for the latter pur;

pose.

piece.

make an'` approximation to the proper form o f thebox or case; `but theparts aregtt this juncture very weakly connected. 4By theoperation of mymachine I join them permanently i and very strongly. l

My machine may operate so rapidly that the 'material may be introducedand the boxes or cases removed at the rate of, thirty per minute, itbeing premisedthat the material is first l properly applied together byan assistant.

The ends of the boxes or cases are secured in their places by foldingthemetal down over the outer edge of the ends to hold them from beingforced outwardly, and @by crimping a groove or a series of indentationsjust withinl the inner side of ysaid end to keep it'frombeing pressedinwardly, y thus lforming a perfect croz'ing for the end-of said box terest in.

In making circular boxes (the form easiest lmade)`I forni the tin aroundand join the edges by soldering or otherwise, and ythus produce aplainband or4 thin ring ot' such size as will snugly receive thecircular bottom or end i Before'puttingthematerialinto the machine f1 Iintroduce the bottom into the ring, and thus I prefer to make the-innerside-.ofthe cro-ze.'4

by forminga series -of indentationsras 'above suggested, in lieu ofacontinuous'corrugation extending around the box or case,beoause themetal forced into the inner'edge by the series of indentations around itprevents it from be?.

ing turned around by any force and 'holds it' l much more securely thanasim'ple shoulder formed by forcing ina bead; but my machiner is alsoadapted to making boxes and cases* of the other style-that is to say,those with one simple g'rooveof large size crimped in-around the boxercover in place of the series of indentations.. This forms a continuouscorrugation' orinternal projection around the inner side of said boxtoanswer the doublevpurpose,

inst, ofvholding in the head or end. and, second, forming a stop-bead tohold-the cover in its propel-place. l y

' The crimping referred to-may be performed l in such a'manner, by theaid of a toothed' wheel and other suitable appliances, that the metalabove or within the end is pressed in'- wardly, and a greatA number of.points distributed around the case, leaving the ,metal between thesepoints nearly in the same state as before. By using al continuous bead-propr Verly arranged on asuitable wheel used in connection .'with thetoothed wheel I form a slight shoulder-additional to the series ofindenta- `tions, so that the series 'of indentations4 shall confine theend, and the slight shonlderadditional shall form a stop andgage' theposition of the edgel of the cover.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improved box, Iwill proceed to describe itsfconstruction andoperation, and

.also the constructionI andoperation of the machine for producing` it,by the aid ofthe drawings, and of theletters of reference markedthereon. 4 'p A is an iron or wooden bed-piece supported onl suitablelegs. -Four upright .pieces or' frames, A', A2, A, and Aga-re fixedthereon.

Two of these upright's,'A and A, support a shaft or mandrel, B, lwhichvis adapted to lbe turned by the aid of a belt 'running upon the pulleyC. -i` 'Ihis'pulley is mafde vwith one or more deep notches, C', (seeFig. 11,) in its outer faceyand the mandrel B is provided withonevorvmore corresponding projections, b, 'adapted to act therein; lAn arm,a, fixed on the4 up-v right A', stands in a groove in the hubof thepulley C, and allows it (the pulley) t'o revolvewithout movingaxiall'y.r

The several parts described serve as a clutch, and operatev together toallow the mandrel B tor-be moved end wise toward the lett, so 'as tobrin-g the pin b yinto the notch AC', and thus to` cause the mandrelBI-toreceive a rapid rotary motion from the .continuously-revolvingpulley U, and allow it tolbe movedendw'ise tothe v right, so as todisconnect it from the pulley C and allow it to stop at pleasure.l f Onthe opposite end of the mandrel B'is a' :circular head, B, correspondingwith the size ofthe box or case to be made, the head used vfrom themachine. be supplied and the ent-ire operation repeated.

vthus rotated.

for the cover' being, 0f'-course,a little larger lthan that; used Iforthe body. .This head. is

adaptedfto .press fairly agans't'the inner side of the circular end 3 ofthe box` or case, andiito hfold'it firmly between itself and-a loosecenter or freelyrevolvng shaft, D, which is mounted .on the frameA.

` E is "a" loose collar tted on the mandrel B,

4The pin bgpresses against one face of this ,collar, and the stout fixedcollar B presses against the'opposite facethereof.. Fand G arelinkspivoted together, -and'a'lso pivoted,as represented, the'link F to theloose collar" E,.and the link G 4to the frame A.

Thereare-'corresponding links on the, farther sideofihe-machine,connected at their lower or inner 'ends to the yoke H and bar` h. Thelower end of the-bar h is pivoted to a lever', I, .mounted on the shaftI.

To the'opposite end of 'the lever I is attached i a rod, J, whichvconnects it to the treadle K, mounted on the shaft k. Two coiledsprings, L 'L, support the treadle ordinarily in a hori- -zontalposition, as indicated in Figs. 1,2, and 3.

When thetreadleK and its connections are released, the mandrel B and itsconnections are moved endwise to the right by the collapsing offthelinks or toggle-lever F and G' in obedience to springs L L. In thiscondition the pulley C rotates idly. The material for abox, composed ofaformed ring,1 2; j'oined,as before intimated, with t-he end or head 3placed inside, is now slippedv on the head B? of the mandrel B. i Thetreadle K being 'now depressed by the foot, the mandrel B moves totheleft and Iseizes the material yfor the 'box' by the bottom'or end 3,compressing the latterflrmly between .the head- .B'z and the free wheelo r center D, while, by

.'to rotate rapidly, carrying the box material formed the vmaterial intoa strongly-made box.

as shown fin Fig. 9, the .mandrel B is allowed to move again tothe-right by the releasing of, the treadle K- and the consequentcollapse of the toggle-'F G. i parts the box falls out or is readilyremoved N ew :material must. then Iwillnow describe the means of formingor compressing the box while th'e material is `M and N are two wheel-s,mounted onv the `cra'nksvO and P,"sol as to standen opposite sides oftheheadBz These forming-wheels VMandN are fixed on the-rocking or eccentricIn this opeucondition of the' `with stout arms o 1. whicl these links inapeculiar manner to the handplates, ,which apply on opposite sides ofthelower ends ot' the links Q-and R. as also in `a lsimilar manner to anarm, \V,fonrthe l::ind

the several,links, ibrm,joints or hinges, on

,which 4the parts may freely turn to a limited 'moves the wheels M and Noutwardly.

and N', adapted to bendv the edge of the metal'` A,in addition with aseries of' teetln-m, arranged It will of course be' understood thatininak of internal projections described, the two roll- `rers M and Nshould be alike and both should an exceptional style of box. I Amuch,prefer the kind shown in the figures, and will'dei `part ofthe box to becorrugated by the bendjacent metaljust above or nearer the rim is shaftso and p.' Thescfshaftsare provided i fork side by side, p arranged asrepresented.

-Q and It arelinks connected to t-he ends of the arms op.

V- is .a triangular frame, 'which connects respectively,

lever below. This frame is composed ot' two lever W. ,The bolts lorrivets which connect this frame V'wit-h the lever XV, andA also with/extent. .The hand-lever W has'avfulcrum at w, which is fixed to theframe-work. Vlienv the-handle W iselevated, it elevates the arms o andp', and by rocking the shafts o and p".

When the hand-lever I is depressed, it operates in a reverse direction,causing M and 4N to approach each other, as Vwill beob'vious. As

rotating box material they commence rotating M and N are each providedwith a ii'ange, M

inward and confine theend 3 ofjthe box 'or case by pressing rmly aroundthe edge of its lower. or outer face. The wheel M is provided asrepresented, each performing avery iurp'ortantand vnovel functionto wit,that zof in-4 denting the' metalv of the box in a seriesof points orcorrugations extending `-around the box immediately' above the vbottom3, and serving to confine the bottom firmly and without straining. themetal.l The wheel N has no such teeth,but `only aA `narrow bead, asindicated, fo'r the purpose of forming an internal bead or continuousprojection all around the inner side of thefbox just above the tion,for'the purpose of a sto-p to 'cover in its proper place.

corruga'- l hold the l ing taxes or cases in which a continuous bead 1sproduced on theinterior, instead of a series have a broad bead aroundthem at the place occupied by the series of teeth m, to form the groovearound the exterior ot' the'box or ease, which groove, by pressing inthe material'continuouvsly around, forms the required projection on theinner side of the box; but'this isV scribe the machine 'as adaptedtherefor. v The head B2 ofthe mandrel B is rabbeted, as rep- 'greaterthan the width and'depth of the teeth ing inward of the parts which arepresented to each of the te'eth in thewheel, while the adfirmlysupported'on the e 'lindrieal surface'of thchead ,l between the rabbetlit and the vshoulder Bi?. vIt will be observed that at this part-thatis to say, between these two 'shout V ders, the edge ofthe rabbet B* andthe shoulder Bil-the diameter Aofthe head BL is only a little than thatofthe. interior of the box, so .that the rim will easily slipfover it.The 'shoulder B* nearest the end-fof said head Bi is] just the distancefrom ils end that I wishthe projection or stop bead abovethe'eerrugationto stand` above theinners'ide of ythev wooden end or head 3. I-prefer tomake thediameter of the head at this rabbet just one-third of an inchsmaller than the'diaineter ofthe partjust 1 above, in -orderto allowthe. corrugationand lstop bead'to be properly pressed therein; but thisprecise depth of the indentations may not be absol-utelyessential to thesuccess ofjmy invention.-V ,The wheels -l\I'and N are suffi..`cientlywide to extend considerably beyond the indented portin of thebox,and each p reg vsents a fair cylindriical surface topress1onthecylindrical portieri-of ,tlieibox above the Vcor-` rugationfthati tosay, on that zpart which lies between the vrabb'etBi and the shoulder- BNVhen-theelevation of-the-treadle K, in

obedience tio the-action ofthe springs L L, has l moved /theniand rel B.to the ri 'gh-t, the 'material for a -box 'maybe slipped on ,theh'eadvery easily. When by a depression of v thetread-le K andthe movementofthe ,mandrellthema p terial ofthe box v hasbeen seized betweenfthelatter andthe free centerfD, which, it'shou'ld be remarked, is madeadjustable by the setscrew markedQ, to adapt it tovarion's'thiek.nessesof stuff, so as to turna wideyor-narrow'- fold,- Lover andaroundthe end '3.0i' the box at will, the box 'isrotat-ed rapidly. Next,4by a depression of the handlever W, the wheels-M and N arel movedsimultaneously inward. The

I bottom '3'is tightly secured, both against failingV out andagainstbeing displaeedinwardly, by the 4bending inward ofthe material both'below'and above it, 'a's above described. f The amount ot' distortion towhichthe metal of the box or ease may be subjected, is necessarilylimited, and` I'take care to so adjnstm y machine that so soon as theproper amount ot'- l 'compression and of bending and corrugating hasbeen produced on thev metal at the properK points above and below theedgeof thel bottom vthe vwheels vM and N, by resting against thecylindrical portion of the box material and pressing it fairly andunyieldingly against the.; cylindrical surface off' the iandrelheadbetween B-3 and B2 will be firmly supported and will prevent thestrainon the material of the box from being carried any fartherghoweverseverely the hand-lever .XV may be depressed. In Figs. 13, 14, and 15numbers areemployed to indicate the several different parts or featuresof the boxer case. lThe Arabic figure 1 indicates th,e.pl aincylindrical portion. 2 indicates `the joint, which is represented 'aslapped and soldered. 3 is the bottom or circular end. 4 is the bottomange or internal hehe, or the'side metal," which trevehtsth'e bottom orend' 3 from being forced out. '5 is the outside bead .opposite thebottom 3.,- -6 is the seriesfof internalprojectionsorcorrugations'produced by the teeth end; and which performthe function-ofpressin'g upon and somewhat'indentinglinto the upper faceof the bottom 43 around its edge. vThey hold fthe vbottom 3 strongly and`tightly-dfwn upon the flange 4, andvalso, fby` reason of'their beingindented or compressed into the material of the bottom 3prevent itsbeing turned around,

.relative tothe sido, or becoming inany man#- v duced by the vbead onthe wheel'N, and. which `serves asa stop for thecover; f'"

7 is the shoulder, which is pro-V v In view`of the action towhich thematerial of the -box or case with its doubled 'or soldered joint issubjected between .the two 'opposite wheels .M and N and the head B thepeculiar nature of the connections Q,-R, and-Vl may,

. be appreciated. The triangular frame V, rocking slightly, allows theshafts op to rockj' separat'ely or simultaneouslyin eitherl direcf ltion, and thus insures a uniform pressure on the two sidesl of theboxunder all ciroum-.

stances. When, for example, athick portion, `2,- of the box passesbetween the head B2 and the wheel M, the wheel M yieldsand' movesoutwardly to accommodate it; but the slight rocking of the shaft o toallow' this movement is not participated i'n -bythe shaft p. On thecontrary, the triangular frame V rocks slightly.

andthe hand-lever W rises avery little, and

the hand of the operator yields'to allOW- it, and l the positions of.the link R, arm p', shaft p, and wheel N'ar'e not changed at all.-'flhemovements-in thereverse direction areperforfned so so'on as the-bunchhaspassedthrough'.

' Ihave demonstrated by use that the mutual "f accommodation of thismechanism, each part to each, 'is so perfect that I 'can introduce the:material in the form of a-ringhoftinnediron v.

lapped together at the juncture |and Vsoldered with amassofsolder asthick jas maybe d'e-l sired inj practice lwithout sensibly disturbing'ytheeolnality of the pressure -on the opposite sides of the box -orintroducing any difficulty beyond a slight *imperfection in the corrugations at that point, which is an evil of no mag:

' Ibeneve this machine is the firsewith which it has been possible tooperate on the opposite sides of a.- boxs iinultaneously, so as tov sup-4like thosehereinLshown, butwhi'chni' ovalto any required extent, ormaybe sq'igmewith rounded' corners,fory iu any polygonall formwithronnded corners; butI preferthe circulaifform for"allordinarypurposes.'

port the 4material and allow'the'material to be The support is so-perfect and uniform that the process of swaging in the head or endafter soldering will not stretch the tin material, but

vthe diameter ofthe ring remainsthe same after it is formed into a box,so that there is :no difficulty in fitting the covers.

It is'well known 'that in lshaping such boxes in any-ordinary machine,such as are usedby tinners,l much diiiicultyarises from the distortion'and change of `diameter of the stuff.

;.I 'I .doinotkconfinel myself to, the use ofthe clutch described, asLoan useother mechanisnilforstoppingtherotation of themandrel v'By-nord@ I confine myself to my`treadle K and toggle EG for giving anendwise motion .to the'mandrel BJ I'candispense with the clutch'altogether andallo'w the mandrel to rotate continuously, and Iican givethe desired -endmotion by thehand-'lever or. other device.

Qne device which I'have triedmoves the man- .drel'endwise by. aninclined g plane or wedge.

vThis formis.- represented ,in lii'g. "12', which is Va perspective viewof my worliingdever ma-V chine; but I .prefer the device firstrepresented..

With it the* operation of manufacturing is more rapid but notappreciably,rnoreperfect.l

Byl giving a suitable form toitlief hadBv-and f, w

to the. wheels M and N, and properly-adapt'- ing 'them to each othe`r,Ieanmanufacture boxes and cases in a manner' similar'to thclabove; whichshall have ends not'strictly 4'll'aving now fnlly'described. myinvention, what I-claim as newltherein, and desire to se'- curebytheseLetters Patent, lisasfol-lows:

.As' a new article of manufacture, a box or case'having the bottom orend '3 retained by va series of 'internal projections@ which projections'are raised and pressed .into the edge of 4the material forming the'vbottom or end '3 by machinery, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose herein set forth.-

Y, :HORACE THAY'ER. Witnesses: l y Y -THoMAs -STETsoN HOWARDlInNnRIo'Ks.`

cular y be

